US969909A - Pocket-knife. - Google Patents

Description

J. L & W HREH.

y POCKET KNIFE,

APPLIUA'MON rum Aw. 1;, w09.

` Patentad Sent. 13,1910. i

By l,

A from its lookin i; stance. we employ apivoted loc ing lever 'fornormally securing the blade .in its kopen and closed positions,

. soneries earner cetrioli..

J'ACOBLCUIS SCHRADE AND WILLIAM SCHRAD, OF WALDEN, NEW YORK.

sooner-KNIFE.

eoeeoo.

e 1-0 pocket-knives, andconsists in the novel fea- `turesand combinations of parts hereinafter described, andA particularly pointed out in' the claims.

Our invention relates more particularly 15" tofpocket-knives of 'the type having means for locking the blade in its open and closed lpositions 'and means for causing a closed lade to liy open when `manually released In the w means. resent ina spring normally pressing onthe lookin en of said lever, Aand a push-button sli e carrying a pushggbutton to, at the proper time, be pressed inwardlyr against the non-locking end of said. lever for freeing the other end thereof from its locking engagement with the knife-blade.

i vThe push-button slide tis normally adapted, 3() to stop and be held by friction in any position to which it ma .be moved by pressure applied to the pushntton, and our purpose is after each closing of a blade and also preferably after each opening of a blade', to

.- i5 move said slide and push-button to such 1 j "safety-position thatl any inadvertent inward 4 vmovement of tlie'push-button may not operate to free the lockingdever from said blade. The pnshvbutton, for its safety position,

jl'o may be moved directly over the locking end of the locking lever, so that any inward4 movement of the button may not free said endfrom the blade but, if anything, more 'securely' press said end into engagement with the blade, or said button may be moved entirely beyond the range of the lockinglever so that said but-ton if then pressed inwardly may be wholly' ineffective to operate said lever. In lieu of taxing the owner of 5o the knife to move the push-button to a safety position, we may employ a spring to automatically movesaid button to such position. y

The invention Will `be fully understood from the detailed description hereinafter Speeilcation of Letters Patent. Applicants inea .fing-un. is, ieee.

Patented Sept. 13, 19110. serial no. 511x179.,A

presented, reference beine had to the accompanying drawings, in w ich:

Figure l is a side elevation of a pocket- .knile embodying our invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged side elevation of the same with the outer mounting removed to expose the metal lining and the pushbutton with its coperating parts; Fig'. 3 is a View corresponding with Fig. 2 but with the push-button and the slide carrying the saine removed; Fig. 4 is a view corresponding with Figs. .2 and 3 but with a portion of the knife broken away and the pnsli-button and its coperating applied parts removed to fully expose the ymetal lining and the slots and separating bar or bridge formed therein for a tiltable lever employed for locking or releasing the blade; Fig. 5 is a like view' partly in section, of the same, with the lining removed to expose the bladeopening spring andthe recesses in the tan of the blade to receive the end lof the tilta le locking lever; Fig. 6

is an enlarged front edge View, partlyv broken away and partly in section, of the knife, with the bladelocked in its closed position and the push-button in its safety-p0; sition in which it is incapable of causing the tiltable lock-'lever to release the blade; Fig. 7 is a detached enlarged perspective view of the tiltable loclolever; Fig. 8 isa detached perspective View of the push-button and its spring-slide; and Fig. 9 is a view corre-l sponding substantially with the sectional portion of Fig. 6 but showing the push-button out of range of the lock-lever so as to be incapable in such position 'of operating the lock-lever to release the blade, the construction. shown in Fig.- 9 being a modificationY to indicate that in lieu of the push-button being moved to a location o'ver the locking ond of the lever, as shown in Fig. 6, where it is inoperative to release said lever from the blade, it may be moved to an'extreme opposite position from over or entirely out of range of said lever.

ln the drawings, l() designates the linings, usually of brass, of the knife-handle, 11 the mountings secured on and covering said linings, l2 a blade pivotally secured in a known manner between the end portions of the sides of the handle,'and 13 a known fly-spring for automatically moving the blade, to an open positionwhen said blade is released from the locking mechanism of our invention.

The shank of theblade 12 has at opposite GIZ sides ot the bushing 1a which encompasses the mirfldle part of the rivet 15, known longitudinal re esses numbered 16, 17, repletively, the rec .se 16 receiving the loclrrn'g device "when the blade is closed, to hold it closed, and the recess 17 receiving said device when the blade is open, to loclr it open.

The lining 10, at one side `of the blade, is formed with openings 18, 19 separated by a bar or bridge 20, and preferably the opening 19 will be longer than the opening 18. The openings 18, 19 are adjacent to the shank or tanfr of the blade and parallel With the recesses 16, 17 therein.

Upon the bar or bridge 20 is mouhted a bar-shaped locking-lever 21 (Fig. 7 which is preferably provided With a transverse groove or recess 22 on its inner side to pass upon said l'rridge 20, said bridge affording a fulcrum for said lever and With said recess 22 prevent-ing en dWise movement of said lever, vvhile atv the same time affording a bearing to permit a tilting or rocking movement of the lever when necessary. The recess E22 permits the locking-lever to be set partly Within the openings 18,19, and this is important in that thereby the sides .of said openings may be utilized as guides for 'the lever during its rocking or pivotal movements'and to prevent lateral or sidewise shifting of said lever. The groove or recess 22 also permits the lever 21 to sink to some extent int-o 'the brass lining 10 and to thereby become more efficient in action. VWe also preferably bend or curve the lever Q1 so that its end portions Will When in action enter the openings 18, 19. The locking-lever 21 is preferably formed of a rectangular piece of steel, as shown in Fig. 7, so as to be of durable, efficient and lasting character. The outer end of the locking-lever 21 is the end which engages the . recesses 16, 17 of the blade, and for the sake of greater efficiency and perfection of mechanical `movement and detail We have said end longer than the other end of said lever, and for thisreason malte the opening 19 in the lining` 10 of greater lent h than the opening 18 therein.

The l.oching-lever21is seat-ed upon the bar or brid Q0 and is there normally held with its outer end projected or tilted inwardly partly through ythe opening 19 and inone or theother of thewreeesses 16, 17 of the blade, by a locking-spring 23, more clearly shown in Fig. 3, which is a leaf-spring cut out in its interior longitudinal portion or slotted,.as at Q4, and secured at oneend `under the head of a rivet 25, While atx-its other or outer end it presses against the outer or longer end of the locking-lever 21 and normally holds the same in its locking position, -as shown in Figs. 3, 6 and 9.I The inner end of the locking-spring 23 is recessed to pass below the head of the rivet 25 and straddle said rivet,

` serving to 'tht-spring 23 normally holds the locking lever 2l, `in itsl locking position, and some iii-cans must be provided for, at the proper tinrdiilting said lever to its unlocking or releasing position, and in the presentinstance we provide a longitudinally movable puslilbutton Z6 for this purpose. The push-lnitton 26 is preferably screwed into a slidable bar 27 l(Fig.l 8) which has at its inner side va spring-tongue Q8, which presses against the lining 10 Within the outline of the slot in the springill, While the bar 27 is confined Within an elongated recess 29 forme/l in the adjacent mounting 11. bar 9.7 is pressed outwardly against the outer wall of the recess 29 by the springtongue 28 and hence 'is under a tension said recess to which it may be moved. @ne of the main purposes of the spring-tongue 28 is, howeverr` to keep the push-button 2G normally pressed outwardly so that its inner stud end will stand free of the loch-v ing-lever 21. The outer end of the pushbutton 26 within and projects partly through an elongated slot 30 formed in the mounting v11 and said buttonris slidable in said slot. The button 26 has a threaded slmnlr which may be screwed into a tlireaded holo in the bar 2T, and at the inner end of this .shank is an inwardly projecting ref duced or stud portion 31 (Fig. 8) lwhich is utilized to f ,Q the Shorter end of the locking-lever 1 when the button is pressed iinvardly with the purpose of tilting said lever to release the blade 12 and permit the spring 13 to cause it to fly open. The button 9.o vmay have in its outer end .a screwdrivengroove (Fig. 2) for convenience in securing the button to the bar 27, Uur

The. i

los

purpose is( to apply the button 2.6 to posiy through the slot 30, the mechanism is rendered very convenient of operation. In accordance With our invention, in itspreferred embodiment, We form ythe openings 18, 19 and bridge 2O in the lining 10 at one side of the blade and provide the locking-lever 21, lock-spring 23, push-button 26 and push-button slide 27. Q8. As auxiliary to our invention We provide, in the construction shown in Fig. 6, a coiledspring 33 having anormal action to push the button-slide to a position inwvhich the button is over the locking-end of the lever releasing said lever .from the blade.

21 and incapable, if pressed inwardly f l hile vblade shall open, to move the pusli-but-ton releasing saidlever from the blade, .W

in the construction` shown in Fi 9, we provide a coiled spring 34 adapte -to pull the button slide to carry the push-button ont of range of the lockinglever so as to render it incapable, if pushed inwardly, of t is important that the button 26 should be incapable of releasing the blade except when that result is intended, since otherwise the' blade `might be released to operi when the knife is in onespocket and pressure is unintentionally, as when leaning against something, exerted against the button '26. Under all oi'dinary conditions the spriii tension in the button-slide will hold saiilr slide in whatever position it may be moved to and the user of the knife may move saidv slide to the safety position of the button, but so that the user may not have to charge his m'iiid with the desirability of moving the slide and button -to a safety ositioii before placing the knife in his poc tet, we provide one or the 4other of th'e springs 33, 34 to automatically move the biitton-slide to a normal safety position and only leave it for the user to move the button to its operati've position when he desires to release -tlie blade. i

In Fig. 6 we -show the blade closed and the push-button 26 as normally in its safety or inoperative position, theouter end of the lock 21 being held in the recess 16 of the blade by the spring 23; lVhen it is desired that the--bl'ade v12 shall iy open, the pushbutton 26 will be moved along the slot 30 until said butt-on is o ver'tlie inner or shorter en'd of the lever 21"and then pressed inwardly against the lever to tilt its outer endj from the recess of thejblade 12, whereupon the spring 13. will cause the blade to fly open. ing been'released, the outer end of the lock 21 is free to enter the recess 1 7 of the open blade .and hold said blade open and the spring 334 may move the button slide and button to their normal safety position shown in Fig.. 6, so that by no accidentalinward movement of the button .would the lock be removed from the blade during the -use of the latter. Whenit is desired'to close tlie blade, thepush-button 26 will be moved over the in'ner or shorter end of the'lock 21 and pressed inwardly against the same for the pnrpose of tilting theouter or longer end of said lock from the-recess 17 to`release the blade and permit the same' to be closed. Upon the release of the p'u'sli-but'tom'the spring 33 will automatically move the saine toits inoperative or safety position shown in Fig. 6. Upon the closing of the blade @1 2 the lock 21 "will entert-he recess 16 andhold the same closed.

In the constructionv shown in Fig. 9, it

The pressure on the button 26 havf will be necessary when it is desired that the in a direction toward the rivet 15 or until said button is over the inner end of the lever 21 and then press said button inward] against said end of said lever so asto tilt the outer end of said lever outwardl from the recess 1(3 in the blade, thus freeing the blade to be acted upon by the spring 13. Lifter the push button :'26 of Fig. 9 has been released from the pressure of the hand, the spring 34 will retract said button and its slide to the position shown in Fin'. 9, whereby the push-button is carried the ond the lockinglever 21, and any accidenta or other inward movement of the push-button will be ineffective to operate the lockinglever 2l. The constructions shown! in Figs. 6 and 9 are intended to attain ythe same final result so far as giving the push-button a safety position isconcerned, such position in Fig. 6 being shown as -ovei' the outer or locking end of the lever, while in Fig. 9, as a modification, such position is indicated as in. wai-illy beyond the iaiige of the level'.

`In each form of the invention shown a single push-buttoii is utilized for freeing the blade to ily open and moved or permitted to move toa safety Josition so as not to free the blade from its ockii'ig means after it has 95 been opened, said button also being movable to a safety 'position after the blade has been closed, so that said blade may' not by any inadvertent inward pressure on the button be freed to fly open. 100

'e have described the details of the pre. feried construction embodying ourinvention 4but do not wish to be limited to sucli details` since we regard our invention as in many i'espects generic and not confined to details of form and arrangement. Our locking-lever is an improvement on any prior blade locking mechanism known to us, and our slidable 4push-button adapted not only to release the lockin mechanism butto be moved or autoiiiatica ly move to a safety-position where it will be incapable of operating the blade lockingmechanism to release the blade. is novel and important and not to be confined,

in every instance, to any special blade-locking mechanism. c

Vliat we claim as oui invention and desire to secure ,by Letters-Patent, is:

1. In a pocket-knife liaving'auton'iatic bladeo ening means and recesses in the 120 shank o the blade, a locking-lever bar pivotally mounted at a point between its ends whereby it is adapted at one end to enter said recesses. a locking-spring normally engaging said lever to hold it in its locking position, and a longitudinally slidable pushbntton for releasing said lever from the blade: Asubstantially as set forth.

2. In a. ocket-knifc having automaticl blade-opening means and recesses in the vio shank oiithe blade, a'locking-lever bar piV i otally mounted atv a-y point between its ends whereby itis adapted at one end'tov enter said recesses,a:locking-spring normally en-' gaging said leverto hold it in itswlocking position, Land a llongitudinally vslidable 'push-I buttonyfor releasing said' lever' from the blade, the liningof theqknife-vhandle having' openings in it separated byja bar to receive saidy lockinglever,which"is fulcrumed, on said b'a'r'; substantially as set forth;

ocket --knife having 'automat-ic B. In a bladeo Vening 4 means `and recesses lin the shank@ the blade, 'a locking-lever bar pivotally mounted "at a point between its'ends whereby. itl is'adapted fat one. end .to enter said recesseaa-,lpeking-spring normallyjengaging said 'leverjt holdit in it-'s locking position, andial longitudinally'slidable push# but-ton.. for releasing said lever from` the blade, the lining-of th'e knifehandle having openings ,in it separated by a bar to receive said locking-lever, which is recessedv toireceivey and seatpn said bar;` substantially als'` I, button vfor releasing said lever :from the blade, the lining of the knifefhandle having openings-.in it separated, by afbar to receive ceive and seat y on said-.v locking lever .which is recessed to rei t-iallyjas,set-forth.l

45.' In a ocketf blade-opening means and' recessesin the shankofthefblade, a locking-leverbar piv` otally mounted at la point between'its :ends

- seeing shanky f the blade, 'a l6o jwhereby it islfadapted atflone end to enten said recesses, a locking-spring normally en said lever to holdfit in .its locking posit-ion', and. a longitudinally slidable pushf button for releasing said `lever 'fromj the spring fastened at o'ne end and at its other end bearing. against'thelockingend of 'said lever and having an opening ,inittmpermit y the push-button to act against saidl'lwevei; to .release it set'forth. M

.6. In a pocketfknife -vha-ving automatic from the bladeg; ,l substapt-ially .as

bladefiopeningf-mdans and reeesses in the locking-lever bar pivotally mounted ata point bettiien itsr ends whereby it is adapted at one end enter said recesses, a locking spring'no nfally en'- M gagingsaid lever to hold it inits lockihgjpo-v i sition, and a longitudinlly ','slidable pushbutton for when 1n one position releasing l said i bar and-slightlyl "curved to dip through said lining;l substanknife having 'automatic ysaid locking-spring Vbeing a bar-k the lever fromfthe blade and when y:moved from such position being inoperative to rel lease said lever; substantially as 'set i:orthv V 7i., a "pocketknife having automatic o tally mounted at a point between its ends whereby it is adapted `at fone endy to enter said'lever to hold itin its locking position, a 'longitudinally slidable push-button .for when inoneA position releasing the lever from the blade and when moved from such position being inoperativeto release said lever, and, means for automatically moving said button lto a normal, inoperative or safety posit-ion g1 substantially as set forth;

i S. `In a pocketknife having automatic blade opening means andv recesses in the gagmg wherebyl lit is adapted4 at one "end to enter ,said recesses, 'a locking-spring normally en? gaging said'lever to'lholdit imits locking poya -sition, a push-button slidebetween theflfining and mounting ofthe knifehandle, and a push-button carri ed 'by said slide 'f and" eX- posed through an elongated slot in s'aid mounting,v said push-button being adapted when in one .positionto be pressed inwardly for releasingsaid lever from the blade' and when moved to a diEerent position being inoperative to release said lever; substantially asset forth.

9. In a pocket-knife having automatic blade opening' means land recessesin the sh ank' of the blade, a locking-lever bar pivotwhereby it is adapted at one endto enter gaging said lever to hold it in its locking position, a push-button slide between the 1liningand mounting of the knife-handle,

`exposed through an elongated slot in said mounting, when in one vposition tobepressedinw'ardly fior reileasing said lever from lthe blade and when, nioved to a`r inoperative to release said lever, combined with means for automatically movingisaid slidefto carry 'said push button to its, normal inoperative or safety position; substantially as set'forth. y

10.` In a pocket-knifehaving automatic -blade-opening means and recesses.in 'the .shank of the blade, a locking-lever bar pivotally mountedl at apoint' between'its ends whereby itis adapted atene. end to enter gaging saidflever lto hold itin its Alocking position, a pu'shbutton and -a push-buttoncarried by said slide and exposed'.through an elongatedlslot in said -blade"- op`eningmeans and recesses "in the shank oflth'e blade, a. lock'ingflever bar"piv'- votally mounted at a point bet'weenits endsy said recesses, alocking-spring normally ehi "said recesses,a locking-spring normally en-L shank of fthe blade, a locking-,lever bar piv# -said'recesses a. locking-,spring normally enally vmounted at xa 4point between its ends y and a push-button carried by said slideand said pnsh-buttonbein'g adapted different position being slide between thev lining and/mounting of ythe knifehandle,

vil() mounting, said push-button being adapted when in 'one' position to' be pressed inwardly for releasino said lever from the bliide and when'm'oved .to a dilerent position being inoperative torelease said lever, and said push-button having its shank screwed into vsaid slide and having a reduced inner end or safety position; substantially `as set forth. v

12. In a pocket-knife having automatic blade-opening means and spring actuated locking means for 'lockinr thefblade stai tionary, a longitudinally sidable push-butmounting, sai

` blade-opening -means and sprin ton to release said locking means from the blade when said button is in one position and .being ino erative when moved to a different or sa, ety position, combined with means' for automatically moving 'said button'togits inoperative position; substantially as set-forth. v

13. In a .pocket-knife having automatic blade-,opening means and spring actuated locking means for locking the blade `sta tionary, a push-button slide between the lining and mountingjof the knife-handle, and a push-button carried by said slide and exposed throu h an elongated slot in said push-button beine' adapted when inone position to be pressedB inwardly for releasing'said locking means from said blade and when moved vto adierentposi tion being inoperative to release the blade; substantially as set f orth.

'14. vIn' a pocket-knife having automatic actuated locking means for locking the lade stationary, .a' push-button slide between .the lining and mountingof the knife-handle, and a push-button carried bysaid slide and exposed through' an elongated slot .in said mounting, sai push-button ,bein adapted 'when in one position to be pressedgy inwardly for releasing said locking means from said blade 'and when moved to a dili'erent positionbeing inoperative to release the blade, combined with means for automatically moving said slide to carry said push-button to its normal' inoperative or safety-position; substantially as set forth. X

15. In a pocket-knife having automat-ic blade-opening means and lsprino actuated locking means for locking the Z:blade stationary, a push-button slidebetween the liuing and mounting of the knife-handle, and a push-button carried by said slide and exposed through au elongated slot in said mounting, said puslrbutton being adapted when in one position to be pressed inwardly for .releasing Said locking means from said blade and when moved to a different position being inoperative to release lthe blade, andl said push-button having its shank screwed into said slide and having a re duced inner end portion to engage, when pressed inwardly, said locking means to release the same from the blade; substantially as set forth.

' 1G. In a pocket-knife having automatic blade-opening means and springactuated locking means for locking the blade stationary, a push-button slide between the lining and mounting of the knife-handle, and a push-button carried bysaid slide and exposed lthrough an elongated slot in said mounting, said push-button being adapted when in one position to be pressed inwardly foil releasing said locking means from said blade and when moved to a different position being inoperative to release the blade, said slide being a bar set in a recess in the mounting and having a tongue pressing against the lining, whereby said slide has a normal tendency, to rema'in in any position to which it may be moved; substantially as set forth.

Signed at Walden, in the county of Orange, and State of New York, this 12 day of Aug. A. D. 1909.

JACOB LOUIS SCHRADE. VVILL'IAM SCHRADE.

Witnesses:

CYRUs B. FowLnR, DAVID P. DECKER.

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